1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of pass-through delivery systems, whereby items are passed from one person to another through a structural partition such as a wall or door. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for safely delivering food or other materials to a person confined within a secure room, as might be done when delivering food or mail to a prison inmate through a locked cell door.
2. Background Information
It is a common practice in many prisons and other detention facilities to deliver food or other materials to an inmate while the inmate is confined within a locked room or cell. Typically, the door used on a prison cell is constructed with a small opening or slot through the door, which is usually covered by a hinged panel that can be opened and closed from outside of the cell. A small shelf often extends from the outside of the door near the opening. A prison guard or other employee can pass a food tray or other materials to an inmate inside the locked prison cell by opening the hinged panel from outside the cell and setting the food tray or materials on the shelf. The prisoner inside of the cell can then receive the food or materials through the pass through slot in the door.
Unfortunately, conventional pass through openings of the type described above pose a significant risk to prison guards and other personnel outside the cell when the hinged panel is opened. During such time, an inmate inside the cell may attempt to reach through the pass through opening and grab or strike the guard or delivery person delivering food. An inmate may also attempt to throw objects through the pass through opening or to push the food tray back on to the guard or food delivery person.
In a particularly egregious practice, known among prison personnel as a xe2x80x9cgas attackxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cgassing,xe2x80x9d some inmates with psychological or behavioral problems attempt to throw, splash, spit, or otherwise project bodily fluids or airborne pathogens at prison staff personnel through the open slot in the cell door during food delivery. With the prevalence of HIV infection among inmates in many prison populations, the ability to protect prison staff personnel from so-called xe2x80x9cgas attacksxe2x80x9d is increasingly important.
It would therefore be desirable to have in the art a pass through system that is capable of transferring food and other items through a locked cell door or other partition while at the same time effectively protecting prison employees against gas attacks and harmful contact with the recipient inside the cell. Such a pass through system should of course be ruggedly constructed to withstand use in the prison environment and should also be easy and quick to use, so as not to unduly impede the efficient delivery of food or materials to many inmates in large correctional facilities. It would also be advantageous if such a pass through system was capable of being used with existing prison doors and partitions as well as being capable of incorporation in new prison facilities.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks associated with conventional prison food delivery apparatus by providing a pass through delivery device that permits material to be safely passed through a slot in a partition or cell door. The delivery device has a container with two openings that are closable by first and second doors and the container is adapted for mounting on one side of the partition with one of the openings communicating with the slot in the partition. The first door is mounted for movement between a first position in which the first door is between the partition slot and the container opening that is adjacent the slot and a second position permitting open communication between the partition slot and the container opening. The second door is mounted at the second opening in the container for movement between an open position permitting access to the interior of the container and a closed position closing the second opening.
A latch for selectively maintaining the first door at the first position and a second latch for selectively maintaining the second door at the closed position are positioned to permit access thereto from only one side of the partition. Advantageously, the first and second doors can be operated alternatively by a prison guard or other delivery person located on one side of the partition to pass material through the partition slot without being exposed to the danger of gas attacks or other harmful contact from a person on the other side of the partition because one of the two doors is always closed during the delivery process, thereby preventing the inmate from contacting or throwing objects or fluids at prison employees.
The pass through delivery device may include a pair of track members affixed to the partition with the slot therebetween and the first door may be slidably disposed between the pair of track members. An attaching mechanism may also be affixed to the container for releasably mounting the container to the partition and, advantageously, the attaching mechanism may be a clamping mechanism releasably clamping the container to the pair of track members.
The present invention also provides a kit for mounting a removable pass through delivery device on a partition having a slot therein to permit material to be safely passed through the slot in the partition. The kit includes a pair of track members adapted to be mounted on one side of the partition and a container having first and second openings and adapted to be mounted on the track members with the first opening communicating with the slot in the partition. A first door adapted to be mounted on the track members is provided in the kit for movement between a first position between the slot and the first container opening and a second position permitting open communication between the slot and the first container opening. A latch is provided for mounting adjacent the first door for selectively maintaining the first door at its first position. A second door for mounting at the second container opening is provided for movement between an open position permitting access to the interior of the container and a closed position closing the second opening of the container. A latch is provided to be mounted adjacent the second door for selectively maintaining the second door at its closed position. When the removable pass through delivery device is mounted on the partition, the latches are positioned to permit access thereto from only one side of the partition. The kit may also include a clamping mechanism adapted to be affixed to the container for releasably clamping the container to the pair of track members mounted on one side of the partition.
Material can be safely passed through a slot in a partition or cell door from one side thereof using the method of the present invention. A container with first and second openings and first and second doors for selectively opening and closing the openings is positioned adjacent the partition with its first opening located adjacent the slot in the partition. A guard or delivery person on one side of the partition opens the second door while maintaining the first door in its closed position and places material in the container through the second opening from one side of the partition. After closing the second door, the guard then opens the first door to permit the material to be removed from the container through the first opening by an inmate or person on the other side of the partition. After delivery, the first door can then be closed and the container removed from its position adjacent the partition and stored or used to deliver material to other cells.
Using the pass through delivery device of the present invention, therefore, it is possible to pass food or other material from one side of a cell door to an inmate inside the cell without both of the doors on the device being opened at the same time, thus ensuring the safety of the guard or delivery person. Moreover, the delivery device of the present invention is quick and easy to use and is reusable such that a single delivery device may be used to deliver food to inmates in many different cells. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and appended claims, and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.